Topic: Mac mini

Starting Dec. 31 of this year, several 2009 and 2011 Mac models will reportedly join Apple's list of "vintage" and "obsolete" products, making them ineligible for most or typically any official repairs.

It appears Apple's push toward an all-flash storage Mac lineup is driving an amortization of SSD costs for the tech giant, as the company recently cut upgrade pricing for 512GB and 1TB modules on older Mac models.

With Thursday's Mac mini refresh, the addition of new processors and a lower cost of entry seemingly comes at a price, as Apple no longer offers storage expansion options beyond 1TB and has axed the server model altogether.

In an update to a support document regarding Boot Camp compatibility on Monday, Apple added reference to an as-yet-unannounced "mid-2014" Mac mini, suggesting the company is -- or was -- planning a long overdue refresh of its smallest desktop offering.

Apple appears to have chosen this week to revisit its pricing strategy around the world as the company lowered overseas prices for its Mac mini desktop, iMac all-in-one, and Apple TV streaming device by as much as $80.

Apple reduced its total channel inventory by a whopping $1 billion last quarter. That aggressive cut may help explain recent temporary stock-outs of low-volume products, such as Macs and accessories, as the company adopts what is said to be a more conservative approach amidst a shrinking PC market.

Over the past week, AppleInsider has expanded its Apple Price Guide to include a new tab for Mac Bundles, where readers can find -- and request -- exclusive Mac hardware bundles at significant discount (currently up to $450 of list price). Separately, readers can take advantage of our 3% coupons and a price drop on a fully-loaded 13" MacBook Pro Retina to save nearly $300 on that unit alone.

Apple will reportedly move manufacture of its Mac mini desktop line to American facilities as part of the company's initiative to return device production to U.S. shores, with plants run by partner Foxconn starting recruitment for automated production lines sometime in 2013.

A hands-on test with Apple's Fusion Drive inside the new Mac mini has found that the hybrid hard drive, with both solid-state flash memory and a traditional spinning hard drive, offers a significant performance boost.